


library boy

by avenging_cap



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: 5 Seconds Of Summer Imagines, F/M, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 04:43:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7830775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avenging_cap/pseuds/avenging_cap
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your love for reading had led you to volunteer at your college's library. You'd just expected to make some extra cash, but you ended up meeting someone quite extraordinary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally on [my tumblr](http://wastednightafi.tumblr.com/) a two part college au, and i might continue with more parts soon!!

Most kids only spent immense time at the library during finals week, but you weren’t most kids. You had volunteered at the library this semester to get some extra cash, and also to spend more time among the books. You loved spending time among the shelves, but you also liked that research would go faster because you knew exactly where the books were.

The only time you were allowed to sit at the tables and do work was the time leading up to the infamous finals week. Every half hour you got up to re-shelve some books and help out students. Soon you had a really good routine going, until someone came in and ruined it. 

The first time you saw him was exactly one week before your biology final. You noticed his dark curly hair first, then you saw he was searching for a book. He seemed to be in deep thought, biting his lip and studying the books. He seemed to notice you were looking at him because he said, “Shouldn’t you be checking out books rather than me?”

There was something about the way his eyes crinkled up at the sides when he smiled that struck a chord with you. It was clear that this boy had a bright center of happiness inside of him. 

"Actually quite the opposite.” you said. he raised an eyebrow and a corner of his mouth.

“You’re not the… _librarian_ , are you?” the boy smiled, his accent showing more this time. 

“You caught me!” you said, putting away books as you went. “You’re probably wondering why i haven’t asked you to be quiet yet. It’s because i’m the same age as you, and i’m also not that serious about library rules.”

“I’ll remember that last bit for next time,” he smirked a little, but turned his attention back to the shelf in front of him. He furrowed his brow, returning to the state in which you found him. 

“Do you need some help?” you asked. As you began walking toward him, you noticed the tattoos on his muscular arms. The one that stuck out to you the most was one of a bird with the words “Mali-Koa” tattooed under it. But you were in no position to question him, so you just waited for his response.

“Could you take me to where this book is?” he asked, handing you a slip of paper. It read, _The Complete History of World War I, by Arnold Manchester._ You figured out which section it’d be in in an instant, and realized it was your favorite part of the whole library. 

“i’d love to!” You gushed, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the history section. He jumped a little when you grabbed his hand, but soon he relaxed into it, and even occasionally squeezed your hand.

When you arrived in the history section, you heard the boy’s sharp intake of breath. The room was shaped sort of like a very fat ice cream cone; the walls angled out towards the curved back wall that was line with floor to ceiling windows. 

He gave your hand a gentle squeeze before letting go and walking over to the back wall. He pressed his hand up to the glass and admired the view of the mountains. You let him be for a few minutes and went to search for his book. You found it, pulling it off the shelf and setting it down on the table with your things. This room was where you usually went to study, mainly because of all the natural light the windows offered. The view was a plus, but you’d grown used to it. Watching the curly-haired boy experience it for the first time had brought some of the wonder back into you. You walked slowly over to the window, your eyes taking in the full view. 

He turned to you and said, “This may just be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s my favorite part of the library,” you said, moving to stand closer to him. It was like you had known him forever, and you couldn’t figure out why. “I was wondering, what does that tattoo on your arm mean?”

He looked down at it and smiled. “It’s my sister’s name. My family is really important to me.”

You just smiled and studied his expression. He wasn’t lying; you could see him getting lost in memories. 

“Do you have any tats?” he asked, breaking out of his reverie.

“No, but i’d like to get one that has something to do with music.”

“You like music?”

“It’s my life. Especially lyrics; they’re really important to me. I’ve always felt a connection with words, whether it’s writing them or hearing them.”You felt yourself starting to ramble, so you made an effort to let the boy talk.

“Me too. Only i write songs,” He said, moving away from the window.

“You do? That’s amazing!” 

“Yeah, if people could hear them it’d be amazing.”

“Well you can’t give up!” You insisted.

“Well for now i’ve really got to study for my final.”

“Maybe you’d like to study with me?” you blurted. 

“That’d be nice.”

So you led him over to the table where you were sitting, and every half hour, the boy helped you shelve books. The time you sat and studied gave you more time to study him. He bit his lip in concentration while he worked, and occasionally he’d hum a tune as he went. They were all songs you had never heard of, so they must have been songs he’d written. You couldn’t help but notice all the little things about him that made him special. With all of this noticing, you had long forgotten about learning his name. You also hadn’t noticed the snow that was beginning to fall and grace the mountaintops.

“Look!” you shouted, running over to the window.

“Snow!” the boy yelled, sliding over the table to run to the window.

“It’s so beautiful,” you breathed.

He didn’t respond, but reached out and grabbed your hand, giving it a squeeze. His hand was warm and soft and you felt a wave of happiness flood through your body.  You stood like that for a long time, just watching the snow fall. You had never felt so comfortable with someone; you had never felt the peace you felt while his thumb drew circles on the back of your hand. Suddenly, the boy looked over at the clock, and his hand tensed in your grip.

“What’s wrong?” you asked. You looked up at him in confusion as worry clouded his face.

“I’m late for something. I have to go,” he said. He turned to you and took both of your hands in his. “It was so wonderful being here with you today. but i need to get going.” 

He pressed a soft kiss to your cheek, and left, calling “maybe i’ll see you around again sometime?” as he went.

And there you were, alone once again among the stacks. You found that you were rooted to your spot by the window. You could still feel the ghost of his hand in yours. you looked outside at the snow that was beginning to fall faster now, and felt tears begin to fall with it. Suddenly, the library seemed a lot bigger and more lonely than ever before.

“yeah, maybe.” you whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wow look at this you meet the boy AGAIN but this time you learn a little more about each other....

finals week was long gone now, and you were just returning to campus from your well deserved winter break. you still hadn’t seen the mystery boy anywhere on campus, and you were beginning to wonder if you ever would. 

classes weren’t scheduled to begin until the next day, and your first class wasn’t until 11:00, so you and your roommate decided to have a celebratory night out. 

“we’ve got to get drunk for one last time before the semester begins,” your roommate, Sarah, said.

“one last time?” you questioned, putting a back on one of your earrings.

“you know i’m trying to be more responsible this semester!” she pulled on her heels.

“we both know that won’t happen, my dear.” you help here up off the couch and grab your clutch. “are we off to our usual stomping grounds?”

“you know it bitch!” Sarah shouts, running out the door. you follow her with a sigh, locking the door behind you. you and sarah had taken a liking to a nearby frat house one halloween, and it had been your go-to party place ever since. they held some type of party nearly every night, and they weren’t very particular about who they let in. it was just  the type of party you two loved; you could meet new people and be someone different for one night.

something felt different tonight as you walked through the doors, but you couldn’t tell what. maybe it was just that the house smelled cleaner than usual from the lack of parties over break. you drank and found friends, and danced until your feet were sore. you found sarah on top of a guy towards the end of the night, and you were happy for her. it had been a while since her last fling, and she deserved it. 

you couldn’t find anyone for yourself, though. even if you did, no one would compare to the boy you met at the library. you had decided to continue working there purely because there was a chance you’d see him once again among the shelves. just thinking about it brought you back to that day; him biting his lip as he looked for books, the feeling of his hand in yours as you wandered through the library, and most of all, how it felt when he left to go who knows where. maybe it was just because he was on your mind, but you could have sworn you saw him in the kitchen of the house. just as you moved to go see him, however, Sarah grabbed your hand and pulled you out, muttering something about how she _had_ to get out of there. 

once you were outside, you yanked your arm out of her grasp. “what the hell was that for?”

“i just realized, i know that guy i was hooking up with. and he has a girlfriend. a sorority girl. it’s humiliating that he’s using me, not to mention the hell i’ll pay from the sorority. you know how-”

“why did you have to drag me out then?” you spat, suddenly harsh.

“jesus, y/n. what’s wrong with you?” she asked, grabbing your arm and looking into your eyes.

you turned back to the frat house, letting your eyes linger on it for one last moment. “i just thought i saw someone, that’s all.” you kept walking, leaving Sarah behind in the dust. 

* * *

the familiar sound of your alarm woke you at ten to eleven. “i don’t want to get up,” you mumbled to no one in particular. you dragged yourself out of bed and did minimal work on yourself. your hangover was giving you hell, so you decided to go to class in a pair of sweats and your Hogwarts tee. 

once you arrived at your creative writing class, you took a seat in the middle, hoping the course would be an easy ride for you. just as you were settling in you saw something- _someone_ \- that made your stomach drop. 

dark brown curls, tan skin, bright smile, the familiar crinkles by his eyes as he smiled-it couldn’t be him. but it was. you thought back to your conversation back in the library: “i’ve always felt a connection with words, whether it’s writing them or hearing them.” “ _me too, only i write songs.”_

he slid into the seat next to you, offering you a small smile. “hey there librarian”

“you know i never caught your name, library boy.” you visibly jumped when you realized you’d called him by your secret name for him. but if he noticed, it didn’t show. he just smiled, the crinkles by his eyes that you adored so much showing.

“it’s calum,” he said, extending his hand. “what about you, librarian girl?”

was that his name for you? had he thought about you at all over break? 

“it’s y/n,” you shook his hand. it felt almost like when he was holding your hand by the windows in the history room.

“well, y/n. i didn’t expect to see you here.”

“i didn’t expect to see you here either. what are you majoring in?”

“music education and minoring in creative writing.”

“me too! i wonder why we haven’t had any classes together,” you said, almost to yourself. “wait, then why the history book?”

he looked confused for a moment, and then remembered the book he had checked out on that fateful day. a small expression of amusement played on his lips as he realized that you had remembered what book he had asked for.

“i’d heard stories of what the history room was like, and, well,” he paused for a moment, then continued in a mock cocky tone, “i thought you were really pretty and i thought you were the perfect person to experience it for the first time with.”

you felt a chill go up your spine. maybe he had thought of you over break… “your reaction was priceless, and it honestly made me feel like i was seeing that view for the first time too.” it felt odd saying something so personal to him, but just as before, you felt like you were already close with him.

he seemed to think that was an interesting response because his eyes softened and he began to move as if to be closer to you. before he could say anything, the professor walked in and you went right to work. you had a hard time focusing on the syllabus he was presenting with calum sitting right next to you. it was like fate had pushed you together, first with last night and now with him in your class.

the first time you registered what the professor was saying was when you heard the words “final group project.” you and calum looked over at each other at the same time and he nodded. the rest of the class passed by slowly, and at the end, calum grabbed your hand.

“hey, are you still working at the library this semester?”

“monday through friday from 5-8.” you half groaned.

“well expect a visit from me around eight. let’s meet in the history room?” 

you nodded and he dropped your hand, leaving to go to his next class. why was this boy always on the run? as frustrating as it was, there was something deeply enchanting about it.

* * *

that night your shift seemed to go by faster than ever before. you were kind to all the students that asked for help and you even hummed a tune as you shelved books. soon you’d be with calum, staring out the window and enjoying each other’s company. you even knew his name now. it was the only word on your mind, and sometimes you said it out loud just for fun. _calum._

just as you were setting up your table to begin your work, someone came in and covered your eyes. 

“guess who?!” a familiar voice laughed.

“justin bieber?” you said in fake confusion.

“i’m afraid you’ll have to just take me, calum hood, for right now. i’m not half as good as bieber, but i brought snacks!” he pulled out a large bag of popcorn and two slices of cookie cake. 

“this is even better than the biebs! thanks calum!” you laughed. 

you two attempted to work while snacking for a while, but it was hard to double task. the magnetic pull between you two was also too strong to ignore. 

“i think it’s time for a cookie break!” you suggested, closing your laptop. calum did the same, and you two brought your cookie cake over to the window and sat on the floor in front of it. at first you sat in silence, enjoying the sweets and the view. but soon enough, you had a thought that you just had to say.

“why did you have to leave so soon that day?” you asked, hoping he’d know what you meant.

he swallowed hard and put down his plate. “i had a date with my girlfriend.”

when he saw your shocked reaction, he scooted over to sit closer to you, and put his hands on your shoulders. “i wasn’t finished talking, little miss librarian.” that made you smile, so he dropped his hands and looked out the window. “i was planning on breaking up with her that night. meeting you was a sign that confirmed it. we had to be over because i, well i realized-”

“that we had something?” you finished. 

“yeah,” he said, red rising in his cheeks. he picked his plate back up and finished up his cake. you could tell he wanted you to change the subject, but you were too curious to talk about anything else. plus, you wanted to know as much as possible about calum, and asking questions was the best way to do that. 

“why did you break up?”

he sighed, laying down and resting his head on his hands. turning his head to look at you, he said, “more like why didn’t we. she was overbearing, i was too in love with her to care. it was like this ongoing battle between us and soon enough i realized i just couldn’t give her what she wanted.”

you were silent as he turned his head to look back up at the ceiling. you didn’t sense that he was done talking, so you just let him think. for some reason, the silence wasn’t awkward, it was just the opposite. 

“you know, she wanted me to write her a song. and god, i tried so hard to write her the song she wanted. i knew she wanted a slow love song about how much she meant to me, but the words didn’t flow when it came to her. it was like my words came out of a faucet, but she was a blockage in the pipes. i couldn’t write a song about her when my feelings weren’t true.

“i couldn’t bear to tell her either. so i just told her i was working on a song all along, and when she found out i wasn’t, she was devastated. i didn’t know what to do, so the next logical move was to break up with her. when i got to dinner, she wasn’t even there. she had the fucking waiter tell me it was over and she didn’t want to talk to me again.”

he moved to lay on his side to face you. calum stared off into nothingness as he said, “when i saw you, it was like the block in my pipes had been washed out with drain-o. you turned the faucet back on, and i can’t get it off.” 

now he was looking straight into your eyes. “i have a leak in my faucet, and it’s all because of you. i’ve written at least ten songs over break. and it’s all because of you, librarian girl. it’s all you.”

the thought of him writing songs about you made your eyes fill with tears as you laid down next to him. 

“you know, i haven’t had a boyfriend in a while. people just don’t seem to like me. all i’ve been able to write is sad poetry about being lonely. happy songs just weren’t the same. but when i met you, you made the water flow for me too. the words won’t stop coming out; i can’t listen to sad songs anymore. it was because of you, my library boy. i can write happy things because of you.”

he was near tears too, and he pulled you into his arms with so much force that it would have hurt a little if you weren’t so happy to be held by him. his strong arms molded around you, and you immediately felt comfortable and safe. he pressed a kiss to your forehead, and you felt yourself melt into him. 

_i want to kiss him_  you thought over and over. you normally would have wanted to wait until you knew him better, but this time you felt as if you had known calum for a hundred lifetimes. you felt at home. so you lifted your chin up to level your mouth with his. his lips ghosted over yours, a smile on his lips. you kissed him with as much force as he had held you with, and he seemed to be okay with it because you kissed for what felt like hours. 

when you finally pulled away, he pressed his forehead to yours and whispered, “i want you to be my partner for the group story. i want to write a story about you and me. i never want the story to end.”

“that sounds fine with me,” you breathed. you were just beginning to realize you were laying on the library floor when calum abruptly sat up.

“no way,” he said, pointing out the window. 

you peered into the darkness just as surprised as he was. just as it had on that first day at the library, snow was falling, gracing the mountaintops with its pale glow. you both sat up and you leaned on calum as you watched the snow fall.

“when are you going to take me on a real date?” you asked playfully.

“i’m assuming you mean these intimate study sessions don’t count as dates,” he joked, wiggling his eyebrows. “well, if they don’t i guess i’ll have to take you out. how does saturday work for you?”

you looked around at your surroundings, taking it all in. you didn’t want to forget a thing about tonight, about calum. as you felt calum press an absentminded kiss to your forehead, you replied, “i don’t think anything could be as perfect as tonight, but that sounds pretty perfect to me.”

he smiled, pulling you closer as you two took in all the beauty the night had to offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is probably the last part but hey never know i may revisit this and add another part at some point! let me know if you desperately want another part lol


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